Access to New Naira Notes: CBN Calls for Calm

By Ebere Obike

The Central Bank Governor, CBN, has assured Nigerians it is working to ensure the new Naira notes circulate and accessible to all.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, made the appeal at a press briefing on the situation of new naira note, in Lagos, appealed for understanding and calm.

According to him, the banks have been told to load their ATMs with the new naira notes to ensure Nigerians have access to them and to set up tents with chairs in them to ensure orderliness when customers come for transaction.

Mr Emefiele noted that, he understands the protest and arguments surrounding the difficulty citizens faced in accessing the new notes.

“I understand the agitation and I’m begging in God’s name, we are on our knees begging people to please show understanding”.

On high charges by Point of Sales, POS, agents on every transaction made by their customers, the Apex bank Governor urged banks to stop the charges on POS.

“I am going to be calling a meeting with the banks this evening or by tomorrow, if those charges go to or those charges have been sort or charged through the bank, we are going to have an arrangement with even telcos to see to how those charges can actually at this times be stopped”.

The CBN had earlier fixed January 31 as deadline for the collection of old naira notes, but later extended the time limit to February 10.

The CBN governor noted that the extension was to allow Nigerians that had naira legitimately earned and trapped the opportunity to deposit their money for exchange.